As I Expected My Teen Ballin' Rom-Com is Wrong
by Da-chan.does.fics
Summary: He fell in love; this time not with a pretentious crowd-pleaser, but with an honest sport. One that will hurt him, betray his dreams, tire him, and occupy him, but also one that will never lie to him. If anything can be genuine in this pretentious world, it'd be this sport. A bball x oregairu fic. Read. Review. Enjoy! New cover by yours truly featuring 8man and my OC.
1. Chapter 0 Prologue

As I Expected; My Teen Ballin' Rom-Com is Wrong.

Chapter 0

 **Author's Introduction:**

 **So hello to my dear readers, thanks for wasting your time on this fic, I am a writer for the first time, but I have been in this fandom silently reading fics for over three years now, and it's amazing how much this fandom has grown. I love Oregairu, it's by far my favorite anime of all time.**

 **Now, this story is about two of my favorite things: Oregairu and basketball. Of course I realize that not everyone may understand the basketball jargon and whatnot in this story, so I hope that I may guide you along the way. Besides, a relatable story is a story enjoyed; amirite?**

 **Now that's enough of me, let's talk about this fic. It takes the liberty of trying to follow canon but not really being close to it, I mean, it's a fanfic for Pete's sake.**

 **Read. Review; and hopefully, enjoy!**

 ***Da-chan out***

* * *

 _Dammit. Dammit. I should've known better. I knew I shouldn't have fallen for it— for all of it— for her. I knew she was just being nice; I knew I was nothing special. But still, to act like that to me, she's unbelievably cruel for a nice girl isn't she? No, that's wrong. She's just like any nice girl you'd find around, she's not crueler than any of them. No. They're all the same; mindlessly destroying hopes and dreams. This is my fault. No, that's not it. This— this is society's fault._

 _Whoever's fault this was, there is one thing I know for certain._

 _ **I hate nice girls.**_

Hikigaya Hachiman, head buried in his arms, pretending to be asleep, was having an inner turmoil akin to that of a person with constipation. Well, he is constipated in a way, all the shame and regret hardening and solidifying in his ravaged heart.

Anything remotely resembling self-love, confidence, self-esteem, and enthusiasm is void and missing from his heart, and by extension, his eyes.

Simply put, he was fucked. He wasn't able to sleep at all, he skipped breakfast, and if this goes on, he might as well have skipped lunch.

 _Crap, I knew I should've stayed at home for tonight. Why did I even show up? Stupid! Creep! Dumbass! Hachiman!_

"Hey, did you know Creepy-gaya confessed to Orimoto yesterday?"

"Ehhh? Must be hard for poor Orimoto eh? Having that creep do that?"

"Boy I sure am glad I didn't give him my mail."

"I am too, this is like, totes creepy y'know?"

Even as Hachiman was napalming himself with insults, the sodium levels in the classroom showed no signs of diluting. Tacitly put, it was hell. It was hell for a young boy with a broken heart and a wrecked soul.

He'd probably develop some crippling depression if he doesn't get out if this saline environment soon. So, bracing himself for whatever good it could do, he stood up, head hung low, and crawled to the infirmary.

Luckily the nurse was nowhere to be seen, so he took the liberty to lounge in the infirmary. If he was caught, he'd just pull an excuse of not feeling well. In all actuality, it was true. His emotional self probably has stage 4 brain cancer, pneumonia, and AIDS all at once. Not that he'd tell anyone that.

 _It'd be a pain if the adults meddled with this. Hard as it is, I put this upon myself. I need to grind myself through this._

He sat on the bed nearest the window. He sat facing the window, so that at least he could observe the "youth" that his schoolmates were enjoying outside. It just so happens that a certain class had PE outside, and by the looks of it, it was basketball. Outdoor that is.

 _Boing. Boing. Boing._

For some forsook reason, the obnoxious sound of the ball bouncing on polished concrete was intriguing him. It was enticing to his ears.

A pass, no wait, it was intercepted. Now the opposing team was running to score before the defense could catch up.

a few dribbles

a gather step

a layup

 _Bonk. Swish. Two points._

At this point Hachiman was completely immersed in the game. Of course he was no expert, but anyone who at least bothered to watch PE knew how basketball is played, even if they've never played, or horribly sucked at playing.

He loved it.

He loved how they put the ball on the floor, and then dribbled it.

He loved how fast they ran.

He loved how they passed to each other.

But most of all, he loved the way the ball went in the basket. The _swish_ it made, the _bonk_ it echoed if it was shot off the backboard; he loved that.

He fell in love; this time not with a pretentious crowd-pleaser, but with an honest sport. One that will hurt him, betray his dreams, tire him, and occupy him, but also one that will never lie to him.

 _If anything can be genuine in this pretentious world, it'd be this sport._

 _ **I love basketball.**_

He thought that. He meant it. He believed it.

At this point, all his hurt vanished, clearly overtaken by his newfound passion. All the insults he'd been throwing at himself were abruptly halted, because his mind was occupied with the sport.

Maybe it was escapism. Maybe it was cowardice. But screw that, because whatever it was.

 _ **I want it.**_

And so the loner whom the world has given up on has found a hope to cling to. Something he could chase. Something genuine, that he knew would never lie to him— something worth being hurt for.

And so, Hachiman begins his ballin' journey.

* * *

 **So, that's the prologue bois. Just edited this chapter a bit to clean it up :)**


	2. Chapter 1

As I Expected; My Teen Ballin' Rom-Com is Wrong.

Chapter 1

The Job, the Ball, and the Goddess

 **Author's useless babbling:**

 **So, the previous chapter was a bit messy, granted it was around 12 am when I was writing that one. It was also a simple origin to this Hachiman we have now!**

 **I will leave some notes in the afterword to help with any bball jargon and stuff that I throw out there! So, without further ado, here is chapter 1!**

 **As always, read, review, enjoy!**

 ***Da-chan out***

* * *

 _Winter break is coming. Just another sem and I'm out of this hell hole of a school. As I expected, my non-existent social life seemed to get worse (if that's even possible) after that fiasco of futility. Orimoto has stopped talking to me, heck, not that she talked to me much. And well, yadda this and yadda that. But still, I need to find a way to play basketball. It's too late to join the basketball club now, and frankly, I suck. No one would recruit me even if they had a gun to their heads. Maybe I could just self-train? That's how I managed to be any good with tennis. It shouldn't be that hard, right? Basketball is a pretty big sport, especially in America, and everyone knows how much YouTube content America churns out. Heh, that's right. All I need is the internet, a ball, and a yard. Two of those things I happen to already possess. Now where can I get a cheap but durable ball?_

"Hikigaya, are you listening?" growled his sensei. He was in science class right now, and he couldn't care less about it. He was too busy formulating a grand master plan in order to actually get started with basketball. And he knew his limits very well. So he had to be creative and independent. However, being creative and independent is not what his sensei wanted him to be right now.

"Why don't you get up here and solve this physics equation for us. That ought to wake you up."

 _Great, now Bitsu-sensei is being a fuss. But, not much I can do. Now, hmmm… how do you solve this equation again? Shit, I should've listened even just a bit earlier. Shiiiiit I'm gonna make an even bigger fool of myself. Universe! You sass-filled ass!_

"Hikigaya, what's taking so long? Weren't listening were you, fine, get back to your se—"

"23."

 _Crap, I said that out loud, goodness. I was just trying to churn up random numbers to at least put an answer up. And seriously? 23? I had to use Michael Jordan's jersey number eh? But, it's also Lebron James', and Draymond Green's. Gosh everyone loves that number too much. Me included._

Of course, after that revelation a few months ago, Hachiman has sacrificed some of his time with Vita-chan to go watch some more basketball. For hours at a time, he'd be staring at his computer monitor, or his phone, or the TV screen. He couldn't help it. He was mesmerized. He was simply stunned. I mean, humungous people running around doing some acrobatics with an orange ball. It couldn't have been any sillier, but it wasn't any less beautiful.

Michael Jordan. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Wilt Chamberlain. Kobe Bryant. Shaquille O'Neal. Lebron James. James Harden. Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook.

Names just kept etching themselves into his memory.

He studied them, studied them as if they were a subject at school. He watched their moves, he watched their games. He was with them in their highs and lows. He felt like he was with them in their journey to greatness. He even memorized useless trivia, and of course, their jersey numbers.

He may not look like it, but Hachiman can be thorough and studious when he wants to be.

"Woah, I dunno how you did that, probably just a wild guess, but it's correct. You may sit down now Hikigaya."

"Thank you sensei."

 _Good. She didn't ask me to explain how I got it, must be some pity. Don't look down on me fool! I'll break your ankles! Not that I can even dribble a ball properly. But someday I will! Watch me!_

Hachiman once again immersed himself in his thoughts as the lesson dragged on.

It wasn't long before the bell rang for dismissal, and the students started pouring out of the gates. Hachiman wasted no time and started browsing his phone for nearby sports shops to visit. He needed a ball, and he's saved enough to afford even a mildly expensive one.

 _Hmmm, Sakuragi's Sports Shop? Let's see…! What are these prices! Are you kidding me?! Where is it? Just a station away?! How did I miss this place? Maybe the universe is trying to make up for all its shit. I gotta go there ASAP._

 _I better send a text to Komachi that I'm going to a sports shop._

 **Komachi, I'm going to this sports shop I found, it's nearby and has cheap prices, I think this is the one! I'll be home a bit late though, please leave some dinner for me. I'll buy you some ice cream on the way home. That'd earn me a ton of points, right?**

 _Sent. Now I just need to get to the place._

"Heheheheheh," Hachiman giggled under his breath, this earned him scared looks from males and females alike. He didn't really care much, he had places to be.

Activating one of his 108 loner skills: Stealth Hikki; he slipped past the crowd and went on his way to the sports shop of his dreams.

* * *

After a short and uneventful train ride and a 5 minute jog (yes, he was that fired up), Hachiman has made it to the store.

The exterior was nothing special. It had glass panes that looked worn down, and the shelves are leaning at angles that tell you how tired they are. It was a dim shop, with very little lighting. It had a weathered sign saying "Sakuragi's Sports Shop". At least with that Hachiman knew he's in the right place. But one thing caught his attention.

 **Now hiring part time workers! 3 days a week schedule, minimum wage! Students welcome to apply!**

There were two things as attractive as that, an NBA cheerleader, and a porn star. And only this one was available for him to take.

So ignoring the sad state of the store, Hachiman opened the door, and what greeted him was the third thing as attractive as the offer.

There at the counter was a red-headed woman, she was tall, probably a full head taller than him, but she had a youthful face. She was undeniably Japanese, so she probably has her hair dyed. Her tall stature was complemented by her fitness. You could basically trace the toned muscles on her legs through those tight gray jogging pants she was wearing. Behind and below her hips were pillows of flesh that looked soft, but also looked like they could squeeze a grapefruit. She was wearing a pink and black cropped top sports bra, and you can see the lines of her abdominal muscles tracing to a place that would have him killed if he looked too long at. Her arms were thin like a typical girl's, but they're ripped, and they felt solidly built. She also had a toned neck, without a shred of fat on the chin area, and her shoulders had a beautiful, sculpted line pointing to, and down to her cleavage. Speaking of cleavage, she had breasts that look like they're made of muscle and not fat. They were not too big, and not too small, perfect for her height. They had an immaculate shape, no doubt the effect of exercise. The girl in front of him looked like a model, and at the same time, an athlete. And then, he finally snapped out of his trance and looked her in the eye, and he was stunned.

She was a medusa, but her power could only work on a certain body part of men, and he surely is feeling like a stone right about now.

 _W-what the heck?! What is up with this girl? She's too beautiful to be real, and she's smiling like she won the championship or something. Crap, she's dangerous, if I act like a hormonal raged teen, I'll have my head crushed by those toned, perfectly shaped… thighs…_

"Ehem, is there something you want sir?" said the girl in a voice that tickled the ears of men, and women.

"Ahh y-yes, I saw this shop online and I was surprised by the prices, I would also like to inquire about the offer placed outside." Hachiman managed to stammer. Now that he thought about it, there weren't any other customers in this shop, and yet they were hiring. Just what is up with this shop? And what is up with this girl?

"Ohh! That's just brilliant! We've been in need of a helping hand in this place. You see, we're actually a big company based in Kanagawa, but we've gone online and by contract mostly now, we usually supply schools, and deliver goods directly, but my father, the owner, decided to open up shop here in Chiba, and if you're thinking why is the place so shabby, it's because it hasn't been fully renovated yet into a proper sports goods outlet. Right now we are using this place as a storage area, and as a delivery point here in Chiba, and we needed more hands on deck. And I know this is late because I drabbled on, but my name is Sakuragi Haru, and I'm a first year high school student. I'm managing this shop while it's still trying to stand on its two feet." Now it all made sense. It made sense that such a big company that supplied schools directly could offer such cheap prices, and how dilapidated this store was. Hachiman silently mused in understanding as he took in the situation.

"Ohh, s-so does that mean I'm hired? And also, do you have a stock of the Molten GG7X basketball? Its starting price is 4500 yen, but here it's on sale for just 3000 yen."

"Well, we'll have to finalize the details for a bit for that, and then I'll have to interview you, but that won't take too long. As for the ball, yes, we do have it in stock, and yes, it's 30% cheaper than the usual. If you manage to get hired, we can give it to you for free, company incentive."

Hachiman has now encountered 3 beautiful things today: a job opportunity, a goddess, and a cheap or possibly free basketball. He was worried that he's using up all the luck that he'll get at the New Year.

"Well, let's get started with the application, here's the form, you just need to fill it up and sign here, here, and here."

"Um, yeah, thanks."

"After that, come with me to the manager's office, and let's talk about some things." Hachiman blushed at that. She couldn't have chosen a more awkward wording for a job interview, not to mention she's still in sports gear, and by the looks of it, she just came from an athletic activity and is still rather sweaty.

 _Youth is all a lie, filled with pretentious, superficial relationships, worshipping those who are "in", and hating those who are "out". But when you simplify it to a ball, a court, a hoop, and a dream, it all starts making sense. In a world where putting the ball in the hoop is the goal, dreams may be betrayed, but lies will never be told._

Hachiman thought as he passed his application form to Haru, who then signaled for him to come with her to the manager's office.

He did not forget to send a text to Komachi informing her of what he'll be doing, and that he'll be home even later than he previously stated.

* * *

 **How was that for the first chapter? And yes, Sakuragi Haru is Hanamichi's daughter with whoever you want the mother to be . This will not be a crossover because she's an OC that's just loosely tied to Slam Dunk, this is more of an allegory to the series.**

 **As for the bball jargon, since Hachiman is also a bball newbie, I'm thinking of letting the reader learn with him, making it even more immersive to those that know and those that don't.**

 **See you in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 2

As I Expected; My Teen Ballin' Rom-Com is Wrong.

Chapter 2

Winter (break) is Coming

 **Author's useless babbling:**

 **So, actually I'm enrolled in a basketball camp while writing this fic, so inspiration everywhere. But, also, there's exhaustion, but no one cares about that. And I plan on projecting my experience to 8man, him finding his strengths and weaknesses, realizing that there are so many talented players out there, and the value of hard work (pretty ironic for 8man, I'll try fit it in somehow) and perseverance. Also, there's the actual experience of practicing and doing some drills. Heh.**

 **For this chapter, I just want to anchor 8man's foundations, before getting him started on the sport. Anchoring his connection to the athletic Haru, and to the Sakuragi company, as well as trying to find silly, half-baked ways to get it at least a bit parallel to canon.**

 **Also, I plan on letting Hachiman grow to exactly or a bit less than 6'2" (188 cm) for this fic. In canon, he's 172 cm, that's between 5'7" and 5'8", but that was his height for the second year of high school. He won't immediately be at that height, but he'll grow to it.**

 **Also also, I am a fan of elaborate jokes, jabs, and puns. Deal with it. (and yeah I'll be developing a tagging system to help you guys get the jokes better and hopefully get a laugh out)**

 **Well, enough of that, let's get to the fic!**

 **As always, read, review, enjoy!**

 ***Da-chan out***

* * *

Hachiman is dripping with sweat. His feet are on fire, and his knees feel like he contracted arthritis mid-game. He also happened to jam a finger on a silly attempt at a steal. But no matter, he had a game to win. He's not known primarily as a scorer— he can't make a jump shot to save his life, but he can at least make layups, thanks to his deceptive dribbling moves, and his various feints and fakes. What he's known for is his incredible passing. He's incredibly unselfish (even off the court ;) ) and manages to deliver the pass at exactly the right place at the right time. With the ball in his hands, you simply need to find a good spot to shoot, and he'll find you. Even past 3, 4 defenders, the ball will reach your hand. That is his game. His 108 loner skills complement his passing ability perfectly, and with them, he wins games. But this one was tough, why? Because the one guarding him is a passer just like him, that's why. His opponent knows what he's going to do, and how he'll do it, ending with them cancelling each other out, so he ne—

"While I liked that adorable look on your face while you were sleeping, you'll be late for school! Not to mention you have that part time job later. I know mom let you have it since you don't really get passionate about much, but you gotta do this right, okay onii-chan?" Komachi stated as she shook Hachiman's head, waking him up from his intense dream.

"Ughh, I will elbow pass the heck outta you youmghihi…"

A long dragging sigh by a young girl was heard, and then the sound of a boy waking up.

"Umm, sorry about that Komachi, I'll get ready to go now."

"Okay!"

 _Hah, that kind of dream again, while I know it's still far off, Haru did tell me that I have potential, maybe. Or actually, I think she just told me that I at least wanted to play, right? Now that I think about, the only reason that attractive, athletic dunce didn't roast me to death is because I drowned her with my basketball trivia. Heh, the one thing I'm better than her is something that's brain related. She's incredibly sharp when it comes to business, and sports, she even went toe to toe against me in a basketball trivia contest (still lost tho), but otherwise, she's a complete dimwit. I guess you can't have your protein shake and drink it too._

Hachiman thought this as he undressed to take a shower. It's been 3 days since he discovered the place, and frankly, he could've actually just ordered online, but he's not complaining, after all, he got the discounted ball for freaking free just by going there.

He took a quick shower, and then decided for a quick soak in the bathtub. As he soothes his body, he thought back to the events of the day he got the job, and the ball, and the acquiantanc— err, friend?

* * *

"Well, what are you waiting for, let's go." said Haru as she motioned for him to follow her.

"Oh-h, mhm." grunted Hachiman as he followed her to the manager's office.

Now, Hachiman was taller than your average middle school student, or even your average Japanese male. Standing at 5'8" (173 cm) at the age of 15, he certainly is tall for a country where adult males are usually around 5'7" (171 cm). But that was nothing compared to Haru, who confirmed that she is just under 6 feet tall at 5'11". That was ridiculous in their country, especially noting that the girl was freaking 17. But she also said that she's been at that height for over a year now, so maybe she's stopped growing. Her relatively ridiculous height called for some ducking here and there, but they've managed to reach the manager's room just fine.

"So, um, Hikigaya Hachiman, you're 15 years old, correct? Hmmm, contact number, boring stuff, boring stuff…" Haru drabbled on as she was skimming through his application sheet.

"Well, no problems here, I think. You might be a bit young, but don't stress it, we won't go at it too hard."

 _And there she goes with her suggestive wording again. Whoever taught this girl about social etiquette is probably a former delinquent._

And somewhere in Kanagawa, a tall, bald man sneezed.*

"So, Hikigaya-kun, why do want this part time job?" asked Haru.

"Well, I'll be blunt. I need money, but I hate working. I believe that to work is to lose, however, it is undeniable that you need money to do stuff in this world, and for money, you need a job. So I at least picked a job I wouldn't mind getting tired for, too much."

"Well, at least you're honest. I thought you'd just spout some generic stuff about wanting to attain a noble goal or something. Here at Sakuragi we don't like pretentious people. However, it's work hard or fall hard over here, please remember that." her gritty message contrasted with her angelic voice, but it did not make it less intimidating.

 _"Here at Sakuragi we hate pretentious people." I kinda like the sound of that. Mhm, I like it a lot actually._

"You know, I kind of like you." she added.

 _T-this girl! She's worse off than Orimoto!_

As Hachiman blushed at that, Haru then stood up, and gestured for Hachiman to do the same. She's decided to spend a bit more energy on this interview.

"Well, judging by your posture, your balance, feet placement, and the condition of your muscular system, you do seem like one who'd say something like 'To work is to lose,' and not someone who'd write basketball on the hobbies column."

"Just because I suck at something I like doesn't mean I can't like it." For some reason, the lone wolf Hachiman decided to humor this tall female. Or actually, he just doesn't want to be roasted by a sports goddess.

"You just admitted you suck at basketball, smartass." Haru retorted. Now for some reason she was starting to get chummy with this punk. She'd been professional earlier, but this punk is growing on her. In fact, the professional aura and demeanor she put on, which she got from years of sports interviews and whatnot, was starting to give.

She was really starting to enjoy this interview.

"Well, you just admitted I'm smart, musclehead, and besides, I just picked up the sport a few months ago. What am I supposed to do? I'm not a prodigy." retorted Hachiman. He was not backing away from this one.

"Oh is that so? Well, you know, a prodigy is in front of you right now. You punk, bball trivia quiz right now!" She wasn't backing away either.

"Hah, prodigy or not you're losing this one, giraffe." and now Hachiman has gone full sass. If a child were to walk in and see this without context, it'd say "Mommy, these delinquents are fighting." Granted, you have a tall girl with dyed hair and a tall boy with dead fish eyes, so it isn't that far off.

"Freaking ball of sass" whimpered Haru under her breath.

"Daughter of a delinquent." jabbed Hachiman.

And then the same bald man in Kanagawa sneezed again for the second time that afternoon.

"Hmph, youngest MVP in the NBA." asked Haru.

"Easy, Derrick Martell Rose." Hachiman arrogantly replied.

"My turn, inventor of basketball." he then followed.

"Basic, Dr. James Naismith." quickly rebutted Haru.

"Player with most career points." she then asked.

"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. What was his former name?" Hachiman answered and asked in one fell swoop.

"Tch. Smartass. Lew Alcindor. Player with most championships." Haru then adopted his quick hit style.

"Easy, Bill Russell, had eight in a row, then three more, for a total of eleven. He is also second at the all time rebounding totals leader list. Who's first?"

"Wilt Chamberlain. He scored the most points in a game, how many?"

"100. Next highest single game point total was 81, who scored it?"

"Kobe Bryant. How many MVPs does he have?"

"Just one. Got snubbed a few times."

Somewhere in the Golden State Warriors training court, a man by the name Steve Nash suddenly felt an itch in his nose.*

"Kobe is third at the all-time scoring leaders list, who's fourth?"

"Michael freaking Jordan. He could palm the ball, dunk, shoot fadeaways, but he also retired basketball for a sport just to return to basketball again. Which sport was it?"

"Baseball. He sucked at it, good thing he returned to basketball."

In a baseball pitch somewhere, Michael Jordan got hit by a baseball to the face.

"Heh, most triple-doubles in a season?" Now Hachiman was confident in this one. He knew Haru wasn't a strictly just into basketball, but he was. And yes, basketball is a big sport, but there are bigger sports than it in Japan. Recent news such as this will be hard to come by. Most of the trivia they've been spouting are rather old facts. This one however, was just established in the middle of last year. He managed to get that deep into the sport, even if he was residing in Japan, which is still xenophobic to however subtle a degree.

"Easy." quipped Haru. "Oscar Robertson. 41."

"HAH." Hachiman snorted out, uncharacteristically passionately. "You lose you outdated skyscraper!"

"Huh? Quit bumming me off. You're bluffing." Haru stuttered. Her resolve was shaken by that reaction from him.

 _No, he's definitely scheming something, I saw it in his eyes._

Well, she was right to an extent, but she was missing the point. She'd already fallen into Hachiman's trap.

"You're correct, but not anymore."

"Since when?!" this did not feel right. Haru was starting to panic. She's a very competitive person, something you'd expect from athletes, and this boy she just met is toying with her. She is starting to get restless.

"Since Russell Westbrook broke that record with 42 last year, dunce." said Hachiman, and while he was at it, he also flashed an article from ESPN regarding what he said from his phone.

Haru's eyes went wide. She could not believe it. This rotten eyed, lazy bum of a boy was right. The article was legit, and a quick browse through her own phone (which was placed on the coffee table) proved him right, and proved her a loser.

She had a feeling this boy would be a special ever since he walked into the shop. First, he was absolutely clueless that the shop delivers goods. Second, he was not intimidated by her stature, sure, he was mesmerized, but she couldn't blame him, she knew she was attractive, I mean, she's still a girl after all, and she still cares a bit about her appeal. In fact, she felt that in another world, she took that appeal all the way.* But she didn't expect the boy to be this quirky. Heck, he has even more quirks than another anime's protagonist.

Somewhere in a university of aspiring heroes, a green haired boy tripped over nothing.*

Whatever it was, she liked this boy. She didn't even care anymore if he didn't look the part of someone who worked at a sports shop. He definitely had the brain for it, though it was probably limited to basketball and academics (she had deduced, quite late, that he's rather intelligent). But that's nothing a few lessons won't teach. So, regaining her composure, she decided to spread out and let the boy in.

Hachiman then felt that heat creep up to his face, almost as if another suggestive statement linked to the girl was said, somewhere.

"Well, okay, it's my loss. That wasn't much of an interview. You have potential, punk."

"Well, it's definitely not your fault." goodness he was still brimming with sarcasm.

"Shut it, your ego is over-inflating."

"I think that that would actually be good, it'd help my emotional self recover."

Haru was surprised to hear that, but she decided against inquiring it, besides, she knew she's definitely meeting this boy again. A small spark in her heart ignited, hoping that maybe this boy was just like her, left alone because of the unfairness of this world. But she won't open up to a boy she just met, maybe when she's known him long enough, maybe she'll tell him.

Hachiman on the other hand felt a nagging feeling somewhere, almost as if some embarrassing words he'd tell two gorgeous girls were manifested and dangled in front of him, but he paid it no heed. He wasn't going to fall for the same trap twice, so he forcefully flushed that thought out of his system, unaware that it would surface again.

 _I repeat, what is up with this girl._

"So," Haru extended her hand to Hachiman, "friends?"

Hachiman visibly flinched at that word, which Haru immediately noticed.

"I feel co-worker is a better title."

"The world will end before you stop being a pessimistic bastard." said Haru in the least professional way possible. Hachiman's suggestion of a co-worker relationship is obvious bull, they've stopped being professional ages ago.

However, he decided to shake her hand.

"Hired. I'll mail you your shift schedule and other details later. Oh, and as promised, I'll have the ball delivered to your address by tomorrow, completely free." Haru said as she smiled. Now she had company that was a bit more relatable. All the middle aged dudes that did the deliveries were too sad and pathetic for her taste, but actually, the boy in front of her was also sad and pathetic. This paradox nagged her head, but she decided to let the boy home for the day, as she planned on getting a nice good shower and sipping on a chilled bottle of fruit juice.

"Thanks, I'll be going now." coolly replied Hachiman. He then proceeded to walk out of the office, and the sound of the doors of the store opening and closing were heard. He was on his way home.

"Haaah, what have I gotten myself into, I gotta call dad." Haru said.

"Haaah, what a weird girl, and my manager too, I gotta call mom and tell her about my job." Hachiman said, on his way to the station.

* * *

Hachiman's face started to get red with the heat of the water in the tub, and he decided to finally step out. After using two of his 108 loner skills: quick dressing-up and quick eating, he got dressed in two minutes flat and ate his breakfast, courtesy of Komachi, in five. He then went out to meet his trusty steed, and galloped (pedaled) all the way to school, through the chilly late autumn air. He was itching to finish school, get to work, and then go home and do the dribbling drills that he spent 3 days watching and compiling.

"Winter (break) is coming.*" he said.

* * *

 **Hype. Hype. Hype. Training scenes incoming fools, training scenes incoming. So first, why winter? Coz what's more epic than a broken-hearted boy training hard on a freezing winter day? I'll wait. Now, feel free to browse all the basketball trivia I have inserted, if there are any mistakes, feel free to tell me! So as for the jokes, here we go:**

 **1\. OG Sakuragi was a delinquent.**

 **2\. Steve Nash stole an MVP from Kobe (snubbed).**

 **3\. Sakuragi Haru is coincidentally a porn star's name.**

 **4\. Plus Ultra! (boku no hero)**

 **5\. Game of Thrones brother. Game of freaking Thrones.**


End file.
